As the 2008 documentary “Blue Gold” suggests, there are bound to be world water wars in the next few decades, as the survival of our civilization will depend on water resources that are growing ever more scarce. Just as we are fighting over oil resources now, so will we declare war around the globe to… Continue Reading Let’s talk about blue gold

Shakespeare’s famous line, “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him,” came to mind as I boarded my flight to New York to close my Spanish restaurant Mercat, which is on Bond Street in Manhattan. An authentic Catalan restaurant next to one of the best Italian restaurants in New York and on one of… Continue Reading Laying a business, and dreams, to rest

One of the hallmarks of American capitalism is its faith in the efficiency of the marketplace. This means the setting of prices, the allocation of resources and the distribution of labor across different industries. Inefficiencies are ruthlessly punished. But how efficient is it when two companies producing the same product compete for market share? Isn’t… Continue Reading Belief in marketplace

The latest J.P. Morgan debacle concerns the loss of $2 billion thanks to ill-conceived trades that were intended to hedge risk. It’s the tip of an iceberg of similar activity that many consider to be shrewd entrepreneurial dealing — but it is not. Any kind of arbitrage, despite however Wall Street might justify it, ends… Continue Reading Perry Sanders and shrewd dealing

About 1,300 students will be graduating from UCCS today, so it seems like an opportune time to once again question whether higher education is worth the money? Let’s take a look at some statistics. A National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education study showed 57 percent of the 2,142 Americans surveyed claimed that the… Continue Reading Is college worth it?

Plenty of residents are angry about the decision to pay former Memorial Health System CEO Larry McEvoy more than $1.15 million in severance. But, who’s to blame? Is it McEvoy? The hospital board of trustees that approved the severance amount? Or is it City Council, the governing body that holds the board of trustees accountable?… Continue Reading Earnings fairness

Instead of Charles Dickens’ famous novel about Paris and London during the French Revolution, we are talking about Colorado Springs Utilities and the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, representing two radically different “cities” or mindsets. Dickens’ opening paragraph still resonates: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the… Continue Reading A tale of two cities

It’s easy to understand why former vice-president Dick Cheney claims that President Obama has been an “unmitigated disaster,” but it’s evident that even his progressive supporters are becoming disenchanted with him. In the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia regional presidents discussed the effects of drug traffic to the U.S. and the failed policies… Continue Reading Our drug dilemma

We have heard about Tim Tebow and the merging of faith and sports. Is he going too far? Did Jesus really help him win games for the Broncos? What will happen now in New York? We have heard about the religious views of politicians and the merging of faith and politics. Should we care if… Continue Reading Money and faith

Many years ago, when my sister and brother-in-law opened their training and consulting firm, I asked her what was their goal. “I hope to pay more than $1 million in taxes,” she answered. I thought it was the oddest answer. If the only things we can be sure of are death and taxes, why welcome… Continue Reading On the beauty of paying taxes